MatchWise.com Selected as Best Christian Online Dating Service

PRWEB -- June 21 -- The Christian Singles Association (CSA) announced today their choice of MatchWise.com as the "Best Christian Online Dating Service for 2005." They selected MatchWise.com because it's 100% Christian and monitored to ensure the safety of its members, and offers biblical and psychological instruction for healthy relationships. MatchWise was founded and created by Christian psychologist Dr. Kevin Leman and features a patented matching system on 30 keys to lasting relationships.

Mark Brooks: As eHarmony takes a step back from Christian dating, Matchwise is stepping forward.  All they need now is some decent traffic.  Their Alexa rank is 165k for the week.

Comments

[Sam Moorcroft]

...and who is the "Christian Singles Association (CSA)"?
It sounds like something made up by MatchWise.com. We have never heard of it.

We (ChristianCafe.com) are ranked 8,312 for the week, vs their 154,383 ranking on Alexa.

And MatchWise is the "Best Christian Online Dating Service for 2005."?

Please.

[Markus]

ChristianCafe seems to be smaller then it was 3 years ago according to alexa. But still the biggest christian site for now, as it seems newer sites like singlec and catholicmatch are catching up.

http://www.profitguide.com/hot50/2002/detail.asp?Rank=10

Maybe you should see if spark networks will give you 13 million like minglematch ;)

[Sam Moorcroft]

The $13M for MingleMatch will only materialize if Spark can see 2 things happen:

1. Their NASDAQ IPO actually happens and goes well (unlike last year, when it was pulled), as they do not have the cash (check their balance sheet) to pay for their purchase of MingleMatch.

2. The deal (is more than likely) dependent on being paid out of MingleMatch's future cash flow as run by Spark. If both MingleMatch and Spark cannot run profitable companies separately, how can they do it together? And, even if Spark can improve on its existing brands, unless MingleMatch's properties turn a profit, then I doubt any money will be released.

Ben may never see a penny for his company.

[Sam Moorcroft]

As for SingleC.com and CatholicMatch.com - the first has been around a lot longer than we have and the latter since 2001. Both are tiny compared to us, in spite of what Alexa has to say.

It is not particularly accurate, as it is not statistically valid, for it assumes those with its plug-in are a representative sub-set of all Net users worldwide; this is clearly not the case, e.g. check out Korean sites. They are disproportionately represented, as for whatever reasons, Koreans love Alexa.

Unlike MingleMatch, which lost money, we consistently make over 50% (EBITDA) profit.

We are hard pressed to find more than a handful of dating sites which actually make money.

[James Houran]

Another service with a "patented matching test" and implying a scientific basis, but where is the evidence for the reliability, validity, and efficacy of this matching system?

Compatibility testing is no longer a differentiator for eHarmony -- many companies are now in this space. Journal articles and media reports alike are now starting to seriously question the basis for such tests (and rightfully so).

I predict that very soon substantiating claims of scientific testing and matching will be a hot topic button in the industry.

James Houran, Ph.D.
Chief Psychologist, TRUE.com

[Sam Moorcroft]

eHarmony.com is a favourite target of other "scientific compatibility testing" sites, however, they are the only one out of them all that actually make money (see my previous comments above). True.com is in for what, $25M+ already, with profitability a distant (and likely impossible) dream?

These are all businesses, first-and-foremost (you would think), yet only one of the above actually knows how to make money. Add in that handful of other dating sites, (which includes us), and that is it.

You can't lose money forever in any business. One wonders how long True.com, PerfectMatch.com, MatchWise.com, etc. have left.

[James Houran]

Sam,

I am curious -- how do you know that eHarmony is profitable, and then, exactly how profitable are they?!

And on a related front, how do you know that TRUE.com or anyone other site is or is not profitable?!

Thanks,

James Houran, PhD
Chief Psychologist, TRUE.com

[Sam Moorcroft]

No one knows for certain which of the privately owned sites are profitable, however, while I am not a betting man, I would on eHarmony.com making money and True.com not.

When True.com pays anywhere from 5-$20/signup for just their first page(!) of their form, they cannot possibly make money!

I challenge anyone to show me which dating sites are profitable (and, I don't mean operating profit on a monthly or quarterly basis, I mean real profit).

I can get you started:
eHarmony.com
ChristianCafe.com
Match.com (although, they make almost none)
....?

[Fernando Ardenghi]

I am anxiously waiting for this Internet (Dating & Social Networking Sites) SECOND BIG BUBBLE to explode soon!!!

Remember the whitepaper named CONSUMERS ARE HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT ONLINE DATING; written by the company WeAttract. On page 22
/////.....it should not be too surprising that online dating may have unanticipated consequences. In fact, studies of major technologies and inventions (from cell phones to antibiotics, to cars) have found a repeated pattern of:

-Intensity of spread and excitement
-Disaster or highly publicized damage is observed
-Reform occurs in the industry
-Vigilance by industry and consumers become necessary.

If online dating follows this trend, we can expect problems to arise that will bring the “intensity” period to an end. This is not an inevitable cycle.
The question for the online dating industry is: What level of “disaster” will it take to lead to reform and new guidelines in the industry?
Will the “disaster” have to occur on your own site before you make changes?........../////

Many Dating & Social Networking Sites are NOT profitable now and will never be.
When this SECOND BIG BUBBLE explodes, new opportunities for serious Dating & Social Networking Sites will appear:

niche market: 26-and more years old persons interested in serious dating (citizens of the world). They will need quality contacts (COMPATIBLE REAL PERSONS). They will pay for the service to avoid being hurt in their feelings by others. They know the difference between REAL FRIENDS from CASUAL ACQUAINTANCES and also the difference between COMMUNITY from MEAT MARKET.

Cordially,

Fernando Ardenghi
Buenos Aires
Argentina
[email protected]